Modular canopy structure



April 20, 1965 1'. NADEL ETAL 3,178,777

MODULAR CANOPY STRUCTURE Filed June 16, 1964 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 T? NH IN V EN TORS- TOBY NADEL GEORGE W. BEERS 3M K$hn April 1965 'r. NADEL ETAL MODULAR CANOPY STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1964 IN V EN TORS.

TOBY NADEL GEORGE W. BEER-S P 1965 T. NADEL ETAL 3, 7

MODULAR CANOPY STRUCTURE Filed June 16 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 V JNVENTORS.

TOBY NADEL GEORGE W. BEERS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,178,777. Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,178,777 MODULAR CANUPY STRUCTURE Toby Nadel, De Witt, and George W. Beers, Liverpool,

N.Y., assignors to Jay Product Development Inc., Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 16, 1964, Ser. No. 375,590 3 Claims. (Cl. 20-575) This invention relates to a canopy structure applicable to the exterior of a building to change the appearance thereof. More particularly, it relates to a self supporting modular structure suitable for prefabrication, made of sheet metal or similar material, which is secured to the exterior surface of a building without other supporting members protruding from the building or extending thereto from the ground.

Gasoline stations, and other structures built by chaintype organizations, are frequently of the type which are planned to look alike. All gas stations built by one distributing organization, for example, are substantially identical and stations of that organization in all parts of the country are built from one set of plans. Styles of architecture change and frequently a building originally planned to be simple and functional, with the passage of time, appears bleak and ugly as compared to newer buildings. Commercial type buildings, particularly, require some change in the outline of the building itself as well as renewal or refurbishing of the exterior face of the building in order to modernize the appearance of the building.

The canopy of the present invention utilizes a novel type of construction adapting the canopy for application at or below the roof-line of the building with the minimum of structural change in the building itself. No beams or brackets projecting from the building or supported on the ground are necessary for supporting the canopy. The structure is self-supporting in that it may be secured to the outer face of the building by simple securing means at the top and bottom of the inner end of the structure.

Moreover, the canopy structure itself is adapted to be constructed of comparatively light-weight sheet metal or like material without interior struts or cross-bracing. All internal stresses for supporting the canopy and any ex pected loading, such as a maximum load of snow or ice, are provided for in the outer skin or shell of the modular units which make up the canopy itself.

In addition to altering the appearance of the building, and providing a protective overhang, the canopy is adapted for carrying exterior lighting for the building and for carrying decorative faciae spaced from the building wall.

The principal object of the invention, accordingly, is to provide an easily applied, light-weight, modular structure which may be applied by attachment to the outer surface of a building without other support for changing the appearance of a building.

Another important object is to provide a protective overhang exterior of the building with the minimum of structural change to the building.

A further object is to provide means spaced from the building for carrying exterior lighting fixtures and decorative faciae.

Another object is to provide a modular canopy made of decorative, light-weight sheet material which may be easily and quickly applied to an existing building with minimum interference with the normal occupancy use of the building.

Still another object is to provide a modular canopy structure which may be prefabricated and then applied to the exterior walls of a building at any desired level without interference with the interior design or construction of the building.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a commercial building before the addition of any canopy;

FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 are views similar to FIGURE 1 showing the same building, each having a canopy according to the invention added;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are enlarged perspective views of different forms of a modular unit employed in the construction of the canopy;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are diagrammatic side elevational views of the units shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, respectively, secured to a masonry wall, the canopy being shown in section;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 showing the canopy secured to a building wall without removing parapet members;

FIGURES 10 and 11 are perspective views on a smaller scale of top and bottom portions, respectively, of a corner unit according to the invention for use with the canopy shown in FIGURES 7 and 9;

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic top plan view of a canopy corner employing the unit of FIGURES 10 and 11;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a corner unit according to the invention for use with the canopy shown in FIGURE 8; and

FiGURES 14 and 15 are diagrammatic plan and perspective views, respectively, of a canopy corner employing the corner unit of FIGURE 3.

In the drawings, a building 10, as shown in FIGURE 1, is remodelled, as shown in FIGURE 2, by the addition of a canopy 11, employing a plurality of modular units 12 as shown in FIGURE. 5. The unit 12 is a hollow, sixsided, box-like structure of sheet steel having an open end 13 adapted to be secured against the wall of the building 1 The bottom 14, vertically extending lateral sides 15 and 16, and outer end 17 are formed of a single sheet of metal, the outer end and lateral sides being bent up from the plane of the bottom 14, the side edges of the outer end 17 being welded to the lateral sides 15 and 16 at the corners 18-18.

The top member 19 is formed of sheet metal and has a bent up flange 21) secured to the outer end 17 by means of sheet metal screws 21, or otherwise. The lateral sides 15 and 16 have inwardly bent flanges 15a and 16:: at their top edges to which the top member 19 is secured by screws 21, or otherwise.

The top 19 is longer than the bottom 14, having an extension 19a by which the unit may be secured to the roof of a building. Bottom 14 has a bent down flange 14a at its inner end and an aligning strip 22, longer than the width of unit 12 is secured to the outer end 17 by the screws 21. Aligning strip 22 extends outwardly and then downwardly from a flange forming the aligning strip proper, which is secured to the end 17, to form a housing for exterior lights as will appear.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 7, a wall 25 of building 10 is shown at the roof line in end elevation.

One end of a roof joist 26 is shown resting on the cinder blocks of wall 25 and roof planking 27, shown as a plywood sheet across joists 26, is shown supporting an insulating layer 23 and paper roofing 29.

In order to secure the canopy unit 12 to building 10, any parapet masonry above the roof line is removed. The removed masonry is indicated in broken lines as a course of cinder blocks 25a and a stucco or other facing 25b. A shimming and aligning member 30, shown as a 2" x 10" plank extending along the wall just below the roof line, is secured to wall 25 by conventional means not shown.

A plurality of modular units 12 are secured in side by preferable.

- J) side relation along wall 25 by securing the extension 19a of each top member 19 to the roof planking 27 by nails 31, or otherwise. The flange 14a of the bottom member 14 rests against the shim plank 30 and is secured thereto 'by screws 32, as indicated.

Insulation 28 and paper. roof 29 are extended out over the top members 19. Avwo-oden filler strip or blocking '33 and gravel guard 34 may be added at the outer end of the units, 12 in conventional manner. Aligning strips 22 are longer than the units 12 so that a single strip may be secured to two or more units for aligning the units in a continuous ,canopy structure. Alternatively blocking 33 may additionally serve as an. aligning strip. Exterior lighting fixtures 35 may be secured to the aligning strips 22 in any convenient manner and sheet metal or other facing 36 may be secured to wall 25 below the units 12 'by means not shown.

It will be understood that each unit 12 is supported at the inner end only, the top 19 being subjected to tensile stress and the bottom 14 being subjected to compressive stress. Internal stresses are also resolved in the vertical lateral sides 15 and 16 and outer end 17, the upwardly projecting flange stiflening the top member 19 thereacross and the corners formed by flanges 15a and 16a and sides 15 and 16 stiffening the top along each edge. The bottom 14 is similarly stiffened at its edges by flange 14a, the bent up sides 15- and 16, and the bent up outer end17. Support stresses, accordingly, are all resolved in the surface members of the units12, all stresses being taken up in the skin of the hollow unit.

It has been foundthat by using 16 or 18 gauge sheet metal, each canopy unit 12 has suflicientstrength in its skin or surface members to support any maximum ex- "pected uniform loading, such as heavy snow, so long as stress to which the top 19 is subjected by its attachment to the building gives this sheet of metal rigidity suflicient to support any point load which may be expected such as the weight of a roofer installing the paper roof.

The width of each unit 12, the distance between sides 15 and 16, may be greater or less than the horizontal projection of the unit, the distance between the open end 13 and the outer end 17, without materially aflecting the,

maximum loading to which the unit 12 may be safely subjected. As a practical matter, considerations of shipping and erecting the canopy make a unit width substantially equal to the horizontalprojection of the canopy It will be noted that the canopy 11 shown in FIGURE 2 extends around at least one. corner of the building 10.

A corner member 40, comprising a top member 41 shown 'in FIGURE 10 and a combination bottom 42 and end members, shown in FIGURE 11, is applied to a corner of a building, with walls 25, as in FIGURE 12, between adjacent units 12.

It will be noted by reference to FIGURE 7 that each unit 12 is provided with an upward and outward pitch to provide for drainage toward the roof of building 10.

The top member 41, accordingly, is provided not only with upwardly bent flanges 43, 43, along the two outward edges and an extension 41a like extension 19a in FIGURE 5, but is also provided with a crease or bend indicated at 44. Since the top member 41-is bent at 44, a pie shaped piece is cut out of the length of the extension the canopy. The other two sides 48, 48 are bent up from bottom 42 and provided with inwardly bent flanges 49 at their top edge for securing to the top member 41 by means of sheet metal screws or otherwise. The end sides 47, 47,

. 4 have a height equal to the height of the end 17 of unit 12 and sides 48, 48,'meet at a welded corner 50 equal in height to the inner end 13 of unit 12, the corner 50 being adapted to rest against the corner of the building.

In FIGURE 12, two walls 25 form a corner 51 and two units 12 on either side of the corner are secured by the extension 19a of their respective tops 19 to the roof of the building as described above. The corner unit is secured in the corner of the canopy 11 between the units 12 by means. of nailing or otherwise securing extension 41a to the roof of the building over the overlapping extensions 19a as indicated at 52. Any suitable means may be used to secure unit 40 to the adjacent units 12, if desired, but such attachment is not necessary. Strips 22 align the outer edges of the corner unit 40 with the outer edges of the adjacent units 12.

Referring now to FIGURE 9, alternate means are shown for. securing a unit 12 to wall 25 of building 10 without removing the parapet or course of masonry 25a above the roof 27. A wooden cant strip 55 is secured in the angle between roof 27 and parapet 25a if it is not already so secured, and a cap 56 is placed over the inner top corner of the coping. Extension 19a of the top 19 of unit 12 is bent down over cap 56 and nailed at 31', 31, or otherwise secured to the cant strip 55. Extension 19a may be additionally extended as shown and nailed at 31 to roof 27. Insulation 28 is laid over the top 19 of unit 12 and roofing paper 29 is lapped or otherwise extended over the insulation. Flange 14a at the inner end of the bottom 14 of unit 12 rests against the shim plank 30 and is secured thereto by screws 32 as described above.

While the unit 12 is shown as covered with roofing material, it will be understood that the modular canopy of the present invention is peculiarly adapted to be fabricated from porcelain enameled sheet steel, aluminum, or other decorativematerial. The .top member 19 may be fabricated from such decorative sheet material and no insulation or roofing material need be used.

' of the unit having a bent down flange 64 at its innerend, a bent down flange 6 5 at'its outer end and bent down flanges 66, 66 along each of its other two edges. The bottom 67 of unit 62 has a bent up flange 68 at its 1nner end, a bent up flange 69 at its outer end and bent up flanges 70 at its other two edges. Supports or spacers 71 and 72 on either wise of the inner end of unit 62 are secured at their ends by riveting or otherwise to flanges and 70 to space the flanges 64 and 68 of the top and bottom members at the partially open inner end which is to be secured to the wall of the buildmg.

The outer end flanges 65 and 69 and the outer ends of the side flanges 66 and 70 are secured together by screws 73, or otherwise. Flanges 65 and 69 form the outer end of the unit and aligning strips, not shown, may be at tached thereto.

The vertically extending lateral sides may be also left partially open, these sides each comprising a downward bent flange 66 and an upward bent flange 70 from top and bottom members, respectively. The flanges 66 and 70 on either side are connected at their inner ends by spacers 71 and 72 and at their outer ends by screws 73 for securing top 63 and bottom 67 together in spaced .relation. I

- It will be noted that both unit 12 and unit 62 have top and bottom sides and an outer end of sheet material having acontinuous flat surface. Each unit 62, however, has vertically extending lateral sides adapted to abut members 71 and 72. This type of construction has been found to be substantially as eflicient as the type in which the lateral sides have a continuous surface so long as the vertical dimension of the outer end does exceed the width of flanges 66 and 70, it being important that the latter flanges be secured together at their outer end.

The spacing member 72 is shown as having a laterally bent flange 72a for securing unit 62 to an adjacent unit 62 or to the building wall but such additional securing means is usually unnecessary.

Sheet metal angle 74a and 74b may be secured by welding or otherwise to the inner surfaces of top 63 and bottom 67 in regions where abnormally heavy snow load may be expected, but usually such stiflness are not necessary.

In FIGURE 8 a modified unit 62a is shown secured to a wall 75 of a building. Unit 62a has a U-shaped outer end member 76 having upper and lower legs welded as shown to top member 63a and bottom member 67a respectively, but in all other respects the unit 62a is like unit 62 and has the same lateral sides and inner end as unit 62. FIGURE 8 illustrates a means for attaching either unit 62, or 6202 to the wall 75 at any desired level below the roof line.

Wall 75 is shown as having horizontally extending furring strips 77 secured thereto by means not shown. A steel channel member 81) is secured against two adjacent furring strips by means of toggle bolts 81 into the masonry of the wall. The downwardly bent flange 64 at the inner end of top member 63 or 63a of the modular unit is then placed over the top of channel 80 and driven down behind the channel. The bent up flange 63 at the inner end of the bottom member of the unit rests on and is supported by the lower flange of channel 89.

An aligning strip 82 and lighting fixtures 83 may be secured to the outer end of the unit in any convenient manner. The aligning strip 82 may be in the form of a decorative facia strip which has been removed from the wall 75 at the point where the channel 80 is atfixed to the wall. Sheet metal or other facing 84 may be secured to the wall 75 above and below the canopy if desired.

A corner unit 85 is shown in FIGURE 13 for use with the modular unit 62 in constructing a canopy extending around a corner of the building. The unit 85 has a top 86 having bent down flanges 87 at two adjacent outer edges and a bottom 88 having bent up flanges 89 along the corresponding edges and secured to the flanges 87.

A re-entrant corner is formed at 90 and 91 in the top and bottom members diagonally opposite the corner formed by the outer end flanges 87 and 89. The reentrant corners are adapted to rest against the corner of the building as indicated in FIGURES l4 and 15. Top 86 has a bend 92 therein diagonally thereacross, for forming a corner in the downwardly pitched canopy top, and downwardly bent flanges 93 along the edges adapted to be secured alongside adjacent units 62. Bottom 88 has flanges 94 bent up toward the flanges 93 and spacers 95 and and 96 are secured to flanges 93 and 94, as shown, for spacing top 86 from bottom 88 at their respective corners 9d and 91.

Along the re-entrant sides on either side of corners 9d and 91 the top has bent down flanges 97 and the bottom has bent up flanges 98 for contact with the channel 80 like flanges 64 and 63 of FIGURE 8. Sheet metal angle stifieners 99 and 1% are preferably secured by welding to the underside of top 86 and the top of bottom 88 in alignment with the bend 92, as shown.

The manner of securing corner unit 85 to the corner 161 of the wall 75 is indicated in FIGURE 15. Flanges 97 of the unit are driven down behind the channel 80 as described in connection with FIGURE 8 and flanges 98 rest against the channel and are supported by the lower flange of the channel.

A mitred corner of decorative strips 102, 102, is shown in FIGURE 15 unattached to the units 62 and 85. Strips 102 may be attached to the canopy as shown in FIG- URE 14 by aligning strips 103 similar to the strips 22 shown in FIGURES 5 and 7. Alternatively, the strips 102 may be secured by suitable brackets not shown, spaced at intervals along the outer edge of the canopy so as to leave a space between the canopy and the strips through which light from lighting means carried at the outer edge of the canopy may reach and illuminate wall 75 above as well as below the canopy.

It will now be apparent that modular canopy units according to the invention may be provided to form canopy structures of diflerent cross-sectional shapes for attachment to a building at or below the roof line. While the cantilever attachment of each unit to the building may be obtained in many ways, the light-weight, skinsupported, construction of the modular units provide a silhouette-changing, light supporting, overhanging for the building peculiarly adapted for the economical remodeling of existing buildings.

The construction is adapted for prefabrication and may be applied to a building Without exposing the interior of the building to the weather or interrupting the usual course of business.

Since change in and interference with the normal interior of the building is not required, the canopy structures of the invention are likewise adapted for economical use in new building construction.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative rather than restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A modular canopy structure for changing the appearance of a building, comprising, in combination: at least one hollow box-like shell of rigid sheet material for a canopy corner having top, bottom, and sides connected at their edges; a plurality of aligning strips; and a plurality of hollow, box-like, six-sided modular units formed of rigid sheet material, each unit having an inner end adapted to be secured against a building and an outer end secured to one of said aligning strips; each unit having a top, bottom, two sides, and an outer end, the top, bottom and outer end having flat surfaces; the two sides and outer end of each unit being secured to the top and bottom of the unit along their edges and connecting said top and bottom in spaced relation for stiffening said top and bottom to resist stresses; each unit top having means along its inner end for attaching it to the building, each unit bottom having flange means along its inner end for supporting it against a wall of the building; each corner shell having means at one of its corners for securing it to the building and being adapted along the two sides opposite said corner to be secured to said aligning strips; whereby, when said units, corner shell, and aligning strips are assembled and secured to a building, in side by side relation, the supporting stresses of the canopy are resolved in the top, bottom, and sides of the modular units and corner shell.

2. A modular canopy structure for changing the appearance of a building, comprising, in combination: at least one hollow box-like shell of rigid sheet material for a canopy corner having top, bottom, and sides connected at their edges; a plurality of aligning strips; and a plurality of hollow, box-like, six-sided modular units formed of rigid sheet material, each unit having an inner end adapted to be secured against a building and an outer end secured to one of said aligning strips; each unit having a top, bottom, two sides, and an outer end, the top,

a wall of the building; each corner shell top having an extension projecting from one of the corners and adapted to be secured to the roof of the building and being'adapted along the two sides opposite said corner to be secured to' said aligning strips; whereby, when said units, corner shell, and aligning strips are assembled and secured to a building, in side by side relation,1the supporting stresses of the canopy are resolved in the top, bottom, and sides of the modular units and corner shell. I

3. A modular canopy structure for changing the appearance of a building, comprising, in combination: at least one hollow lbox-like shell of rigid sheet material for a canopy corner having top, bottom, and sides connected at their edges; a plurality of aligning strips; and a plurality of hollow, box-like, six-sided modular units formed of rigid sheet material, each unit having an inner end adapted to be secured against a building and an outer end secured to one of said aligning strips; each unit having a top, bottom, two sides, and an outer end, the top, bottom and outer end having flat surfaces; the two sides and outer end of each unit being secured to the top and 8 bottom of the unit along their edges and connecting said top and bottom in spaced relation for stiffening said top and bottom to resist stresses; each unit top having a downwardly bent flange along its innerendadapted to be secured along the wall of a building, each unit bottom having an upwardly bent flange along its inner end adapted to be supported against the building wall below said top inner end flange; each corner shell having, at one of its corners, reentrant corners formed in its top and bottom, flange means at'said reentrant corners adapted to he se-' cured along the walls of the building at its corner, each corner shell being adapted along the two sides opposite said reen'trant corners to be secured tosaid aligning strips; whereby, when said units, corner shell, and aligning strips are assembled and secured to a building, in side'by side relation, the supporting stresses of the canopy are resolved in the top, bottom, and sides of the modular units and corner shell.

References Cited by the-Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HARRISONQR. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MODULAR CANOPY STRUCTURE FOR CHANGING THE APPEARANCE OF A BUILDING, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: AT LEAST ONE HOLLOW BOX-LIKE SHELL OF RIGID SHEET MATERIAL FOR A CANOPY CORNER HAVING TOP, BOTTOM, AND SIDES CONNECTED AT THEIR EDGES; A PLURALITY OF ALIGNING STRIPS; AND A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW, BOX-LIKE, SIX-SIDED MODULAR UNITS FORMED OF RIGID SHEET MATERIAL, EACH UNIT HAVING AN INNER END ADAPTED TO BE SECURED AGAINST A BUILDING AND AN OUTER END SECURED TO ONE OF SAID ALIGNING STRIPS; EACH UNIT HAVING A TOP, BOTTOM, TWO SIDES, AND AN OUTER END, THE TOP, BOTTOM AND OUTER END HAVING FLAT SURFACES; THE TWO SIDES AND OUTER END OF EACH UNIT BEING SECURED TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE UNIT ALONG THEIR EDGES AND CONNECTING SAID TOP AND BOTTOM IN SPACED RELATION FOR STIFFENING SAID TOP AND BOTTOM TO RESIST STRESSES; EACH UNIT TOP HAVING MEANS ALONG ITS INNER END FOR ATTACHING IT TO THE BUILDING, EACH UNIT BOTTOM HAVING FLANGE MEANS ALONG ITS INNER END FOR SUPPORTING IT AGAINST A WALL OF THE BUILDING; EACH CORNER SHELL HAVING MEANS AT ONE OF ITS CORNERS FOR SECURING IT TO THE BUILDING AND BEING ADAPTED ALONG THE TWO SIDES OPPOSITE SAID CORNER TO BE SECURED TO SAID ALIGNING IT TO THE BUILDWHEN SAID UNITS, CORNER SHELL, AND ALIGNING STRIPS ARE ASSEMBLED AND SECURED TO A BUILDING, IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION, THE SUPPORTING STRESSES OF THE CANOPY ARE RESOLVED IN THE TOP, BOTTOM, AND SIDES OF THE MODULAR UNITS AND CORNER SHELL. 